RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT-2 and RCM

Ahmed Mahmood, Satellite Operations, Canadian Space Agency

GSCB Workshop, 18th –19th June 2009 ESA/ESRIN Frascati

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 Canadian EO Missions in Operation

RADARSAT-1, C-Band SAR, launched November 1995, nominal 5.25 year mission, operational, Mission extension to 2012

RADARSAT-2, C-Band SAR, launched December 2007, nominal 7 year mission, 1st year of operation post commissioning

SCISAT-1, Visible/Near-infrared Optical Imager, for atmospheric chemistry, launched August 2003, nominal 2 year mission, nominal operation ongoing

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 CSA Missions in Development

•RCM – System requirements being developed with Industry for building a constellation of 3 small satellites to be launched 2014-2016 •PCW – Mission to provide unique temporal data with high spatial resolution over the whole northern circumpolar area (to be launched in 2014) •Chinook – The stratospheric wind study instrument project is in Phase A.

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 A Status Report On

• 1. RADARSAT Archive Development Update

• 2. RADARSAT-1 and -2 Mission Operations – Interoperability Status

• 3. RCM – Mission Development Status

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 1.1 RADARSAT Archives

• Archive System Upgrade – System upgrade for transcribing RADARSAT-1 data in computer compatible format. • Completed March 31st 2009, • “Lossless" Raw (vs. Standard) FRED (Framed Raw Expanded Data) format, • Common architecture with RADARSAT-2 archive.

– RADARSAT-1 Archive transcription to the new system started on April 1st 2009. • Playback from Sony D1 to Direct Archiving System (DAS) unit, • DAS produces FRED Raw archive product, • Data stored on Petasite via Archive Management System (AMS) in RFC buffer, • Data will be re-catalogued via the ACS (Acquisition Cataloguing System) • New Archive Storage Reports will be generated and MMO database updated. GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 1.2 Archive Relocation Project • RADARSAT Archive Relocation

– Objective :

– Relocate the data archives and associated archive systems from the reception stations to CCRS (Booth St.) – Consolidate two archive systems at stations to one central location at Booth St. – Allow for ease of access, all raw data access completely under government control – Allow for ease of connection to data from external sites such as Polar Epsilon (future shared EO Ground Infrastructure)

– PetaSite system (SAIT-1 tapes) to be replaced by LTO-4 based robotic library.

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 1.3 Current Status

• Status

– Basic components of system ordered and delivered – Preliminary design complete – Detailed design underway – Initial install/configuration underway

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 1.4 Milestones

• Milestones

– April/May 2009: Install/basic configuration – June 2009: Start moving current data holdings from Stations (PASS & GSS) to Booth St. – Move RADARSAT-1 Transcription System to Booth St. in Q1 09/10. – Complete increase in bandwidth to GSS and operational in Q3 09/10. – Move AMS systems from PASS/GSS to Booth St. in Q4 09/10. – Start initial operations in Q4 09/10. – Commence final operations April 2010.

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 2.1 Radarsat Mission Operations: RSAT-1 versus ENVISAT CSA and ESA signed a contingency agreement to which both parties agreed to provide access to each other’s sensors in case of a temporary failure of either Radarsat-1 or ENVISAT which does not exceed 90 days.

CSA has developed an in-house ENVISAT ASAR data ordering capability which is based on ESA supplied tools (DESCW, EOLI).

CSA provided ESA with a dedicated on-line access to RSAT-1 data ordering system (SPA, ODSys) to support large-volume orders from ESA in case of failure of ENVSAT.

CSA and ESA participated in a cross-training exercise in April 2007 whereby CSA and ESA exchanged know-how on Radarsat-1 and ENVISAT ASAR operational data ordering tools and procedures. This resulted in a cost- effective implementation for CSA and ESA.

CSA coordinated RSAT-1 contingency exercises in June 2007 with all operational partners (CCRS, CIS, MDA/GSI, CSA, ESA) for validating prescribed ASAR data ordering processes under contingency.

ASAR level 1 processing performed on similar hardware platform as RSAT-1 PGS.

Contingency agreement has not been executed to date by CSA or ESA.

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 2.2 Radarsat Mission Operations: RSAT-2 versus ENVISAT ASAR

Similar objective as the CSA/ESA Contingency agreement for RSAT-1

Major difference is that a separate agreement is in place between MDA and ESA in case of temporary failure of RSAT-2 or ENVISAT.

ASAR level 1 processing performed on similar hardware platform as RSAT-2 PGS.

Contingency agreement has not been executed to date by MDA or ESA.

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 2.3 Radarsat Mission Operations: RSAT-2 GMES via HMA – RSAT-2 is a contributing mission to GMES – to harmonize operational access amongst GMES missions – use of common interfaces for data ordering, mission planning, discovery service, catalogue search, etc. – HMA concept definition phase concluded in July 2007. – ESA running a follow-on study to further develop the interfaces – Concurrently, the first group of GMES contributing missions is implementing the HMA interfaces in their ground segments – RSAT-2 is among this group, and MDA is beginning a project to implement the HMA catalogue interfaces which is scheduled to be completed in January 2010

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 3.2 RCM Mission Status

• Constellation of three SAR satellites to be launched in 2014, 2015, 2016 • RCM will be government-owned and operated • It will support maritime surveillance, disaster management and ecosystem monitoring and also provide C-band SAR data continuity beyond the expected lifetime of RADARSAT-2 • Phase B (preliminary design) is in progress • Requirements reviews (Mission, Space, and Ground) successfully held last February. ESA representatives attended • Phase B mid-term review scheduled for June 16th • Data Policy is under development • Interoperability with other missions is currently being discussed with Canadian users and in the near future will be coordinated with ESA

GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009 GSCB Workshop, ESA/ESRIN (Frascati) 18th –19th June 2009